No cargo too large for Sather aerial port Airmen

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brian Davidson
  • 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Sometimes good things come in big packages, and occasionally they come in very big packages. For the aerial port Airman assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, there is no package that's too big or cargo that they can't handle.

With only a day's notice, these Airmen coordinated and conducted a very unique and challenging two-phase cargo mission for a critical Multi-National Forces Iraq project that will bring new, cutting edge communication technology to the entire Victory Base Complex in Baghdad.

That cargo consisted of two, 66-foot trailers that each filled the belly of a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft from the 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

"We found out on Saturday that the deliveries were coming, and the first aircraft arrived Sunday night," said Tech. Sgt. Reuben Brazelton, 447th ELRS senior launch controller. "Our first step was to coordinate with the Army Movement Control Team from the 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion for a 10-ton tractor and skilled driver to help move the massive communication trailers."

Sergeant Brazelton turned to ramp supervisor Staff Sgt. Jessy Harper to serve as the load team chief for the project. Deployed from the 437th Aerial Port Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., Sergeants Brazelton and Harper combined their experience to get the job done.

"Our next step was to arrange with Transient Alert for special parking for the aircraft," Sergeant Brazelton explained. "The size of the load called for the C-17 to be parked in reverse from the normal configuration to prevent blocking the active taxiway as we worked."

After manufacture, each communication trailer began their journey from Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and were transported to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., where the trailers were loaded onto the C-17s along with specially made ramps that would allow for unloading in Iraq.

"Each trailer weighed-in at about 80,000 pounds, and the special ramps added another 4,000 pounds, which posed a unique set of challenges for the aircrew," Sergeant Harper said. "They also had to add a special pallet of ballast to balance the load."

Sergeant Harper also explained that the total load weight was right on the threshold of 90,000 pounds, which might normally require in-flight refueling along the flight plan. For these flights, the C-17s stopped in Germany for fuel before heading to Baghdad where Sergeants Brazelton and Harper were waiting with their team.

Once the first aircraft landed and was parked in the special configuration, Sergeant Harper watched as the cargo ramp opened and was surprised to see just how massive the communication trailer was. "I knew it was going to be a challenge, but only after seeing the cargo did I realize that we had a zero margin-for-error," he said.

In addition to the normal loaders and forklifts moving on the parking ramp, there were a large number of senior Army officers and Soldiers waiting to take responsibility for the equipment once unloaded.

"The extra people on the ramp just meant we had to ensure everyone stayed in a safe location," said Sergeant Brazelton. "Since we were dealing with equipment that will play a key role in helping to rebuild Iraq and support the Iraqi military as they take over more local operations, cooperation between Soldiers and Airmen was critical."

In less than an hour, the aerial port Airmen unloaded the ballast, assembled and placed the two special ramps, and positioned the tractor to unload the trailer.

"Placement of the ramps had to be perfect, which posed its own challenge because they weigh 2,000 pounds each," Sergeant Harper said. "Once they were set, we knew we would only have one chance to get the tractor up and into the aircraft. If the ramps weren't perfect, there was a danger the 10-ton truck could slip off and cause damage to the aircraft as well as leave us with no other way to unload the cargo."

Like clockwork, the team of Airmen and Soldiers inched the tractor into the open cargo door and connected it to the $11.25 million communication trailer, then with surgical precision they brought the trailer out of the aircraft.

Monday night brought the second aircraft carrying the twin to the first, and in 55 minutes from start to finish the Airmen and Soldiers had the cargo safely unloaded and on its way to its final destination.

"This communication equipment will provide military telephone service to the entire Victory Base Complex, and serve more than 5,000 customers as well as offer 911 emergency service for all users," Said Army Capt. Gary Jones, 335th Signal Command project manager. "It's a $26 million upgrade and the first piece of modern commercial communication equipment installed that will significantly increase the communications capabilities of the warfighter."

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